This article is from nutritionist Fan Zhihong's blog: http://snowheart19.blog.sohu.com/105974682.html
Children have loved sweet foods since they were young. They insist on drinking sweet juice and prefer sweet-flavored biscuits or snacks. However, parents are always concerned. It is said that sugar can cause nutritional imbalances, and some sugars are chemically synthesized—could they have an impact on the body? Here, we will introduce various sources of sweetness, explaining their origins and effects, to help everyone understand clearly, choose with confidence, and be more decisive when enjoying sweet foods.
Fructose:
Among natural sugars, fructose has the best hygroscopic properties and a good moisturizing effect, which is one of the important reasons why honey can prevent dryness and protect the throat. Fructose also has a unique characteristic: the lower the temperature, the sweeter it becomes. People love chilled watermelon precisely because the main sweet substance in watermelon is fructose.
Representative foods: Honey
Not recommended for: People on a diet should control their intake, and those prone to diarrhea should also eat less.
High-fructose corn syrup:
High-fructose corn syrup has a cool and pleasant sweetness, making it most suitable for various cool drinks. It is produced from starch as a raw material through several enzymatic processes, making it a true sugar with the same sweetness as sucrose, but used in syrup form. For this reason, people enjoy drinking cool beverages made with high-fructose corn syrup in the summer.
Representative foods: Cool drinks like Sprite
Not recommended for: People on a diet, and those who need to control their blood sugar.
Glucose:
Glucose is an important energy substance for the human body, but it is also the least likely nutrient to be deficient in the diet—because as long as you eat 150 grams of starchy staples daily, the starch can be digested into glucose in the body and absorbed and utilized. Except for those who cannot eat normally, healthy people have no need to specially purchase or take glucose. It raises blood sugar very quickly and can easily make people feel hungry again soon after.
Representative foods: Glucose powder, cookies containing glucose syrup
Not recommended for: People on a diet, and those who need to control their blood sugar.
Sucrose:
Sucrose is the white sugar found in every household today. Its sweetness is pure and it is widely used in various sweets and beverages. Although white sugar is safe and non-toxic, excessive consumption increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, vitamin B deficiency, and calcium deficiency. According to international recommendations, the maximum amount of white sugar should not exceed 10% of the total dietary energy, which means that adults should not consume more than 50 grams of white sugar per day, and children should not exceed 30 grams. However, one tablespoon of jam contains about 15 grams of sugar, one can of sweetened beverage contains 36 grams, one bottle of a cool drink contains about 50 grams, one slice of round cake contains more than 10 grams, one 50-gram chocolate bar contains 25 grams, and one 100-gram box of ice cream contains more than 20 grams—not to mention various candies with a sugar content of over 90%. In addition, sugar is often added in cooking. It is clear that limiting daily sugar intake to 30 grams is no easy task.
Representative foods: Various candies, sweets, cold drinks, most sweetened beverages
Not recommended for: People on a diet, and those who need to control their blood sugar.
Health tip: Brown sugar is unrefined crude sugar that retains more vitamins and minerals. Regular consumption of brown sugar can give you a radiant complexion.
Maltose:
China learned to make maltose from germinated barley over 2,000 years ago. The sweetness of maltose is about half that of sucrose, and it is mild and fragrant. Maltose has a certain effect of aiding digestion, and because it is not refined, it contains some vitamins and minerals. Occasionally eating it as a snack is harmless to children's health. However, note that maltose is quite sticky to the teeth, so you should brush your teeth soon after eating.
Representative foods: Sorghum malt candy, Guandong sugar, and other traditional sticky candies
Not recommended for: People on a diet, those who need to control their blood sugar, and people with cavities.
Expert reminder: Diabetics should not soak in hot springs or take hot baths.
Oligosaccharides:
Various oligosaccharides have the effect of promoting the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria in the human body. The so-called "bifidus factors" in many health drinks refer to ingredients like oligofructose. Besides improving the micro-ecological environment, they have many other appreciated advantages: they do not raise blood sugar, do not cause weight gain, do not cause cavities, and have a mild, fresh sweetness. Currently, many developed countries sell household sweeteners like oligofructose, but in China, they are not yet common due to high costs.
Consuming 3 grams of oligosaccharides daily can have beneficial effects, but excessive consumption may cause gas. It is best for adult women to limit their daily intake to 30 grams and for children to 20 grams.
Representative foods: Oligofructose sweeteners
Not recommended for: People prone to gas should control their intake.
Sugar alcohols:
Similar to oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols have the advantages of not raising blood sugar, not causing cavities, and being low in calories. The sweetness of sugar alcohols has a cooling sensation, and they can improve the flavor of food. They do not cause browning when heated. Foods containing xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, and mannitol are harmless, but the amount should be controlled to less than 20 grams per day for adults and 10 grams for children, because sugar alcohols can promote intestinal peristalsis, and excessive consumption may cause mild diarrhea.
Representative foods: Sugar alcohol sweeteners, sugar-free gum, pastries made with sugar alcohols, etc.
Not recommended for: People prone to diarrhea.
Aspartame:
Aspartame, also known as protein sugar, is a product of the combination and esterification of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It can be broken down and utilized in the human body just like amino acids and has nothing to do with sugar. However, it has 50-200 times the sweetness of sucrose and is widely used in sugar-free foods that do not require heating. Protein sugar can participate in metabolism as an amino acid in the body and still has a certain nutritional value for humans. Because its sweetness is very high, the amount used is small and will not cause obesity or malnutrition like sucrose.
However, protein sugar contains phenylalanine, so it must absolutely not be used by people with phenylketonuria. In addition, because protein sugar is often mixed with other sweeteners and sold as "zero-calorie sweeteners," be sure to read the ingredient list on the packaging carefully.
Representative foods: Various low-sugar and sugar-free sweet foods labeled as containing aspartame
Not recommended for: Babies with phenylketonuria, and babies under 2 years old (because it breaks down into amino acids, which may affect the amino acid balance in infants).
Stevia:
Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. Although it is not a sugar, its sweetness is 200 times that of white sugar. Stevia is a natural substance. At the same level of sweetness, it contains extremely low calories, only one three-hundredth of white sugar. And as an extract of a traditional Chinese medicine, it has the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination, and regulating gastric acid. It also has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on hypertension and diabetes, and helps prevent cavities and obesity, so it can be used in health drinks.
Representative foods: Various low-sugar and sugar-free sweet foods labeled as containing stevia
Not recommended for: Children under 2 years old.
Saccharin, Acesulfame-K, Cyclamate, and other synthetic sweeteners:
In sweet foods and beverages labeled or advertised as "low-sugar," "sugar-free," "low-calorie," or "for weight loss," the most common sources of sweetness are these synthetic sweeteners, often mixed with white sugar. They are cheap, stable, contain no calories, do not raise blood sugar, and do not cause cavities. However, there is currently no evidence that they have any additional benefits for weight control or diabetes management.
The synthetic sweeteners currently used in China have all undergone toxicological experiments and years of verification of their effects. The amount and scope of their addition to food are regulated by national standards, and they will not cause any perceptible harm to the human body if the limits are not exceeded. However, some health experts are still concerned that the consumption of foods containing synthetic sweeteners by children may potentially adversely affect their psychological and behavioral development.
Representative foods: Most sweet foods and beverages labeled "low-sugar," "sugar-free," "low-calorie," or "for weight loss."
Not recommended for: Babies under 2 years old should not consume any foods containing synthetic sweeteners.